Speaker Placement For Multi-Channel Audio Entertainment Systems
A high-end sound system will set you back on your budget, but what you get is more fidelity and sound resolution. In the end it will be worth it especially for watching 4K movies. The only problem is getting the right system configuration so that you get the most out of your money. Some systems do not make full use of the hardware and features because of improper installation. This guide will go over the basics. There is no one stop solution for everyone’s audio needs. Every room and setup is unique, taking into account the hardware and location’s acoustics. When you setup a sound system for a small man cave, that is different from a mini-theater because of the difference in the amount of space required to fill the room with sound. I will concentrate on typical home multi-channel audio entertainment systems that are ideal for a den, living room and the man cave setup i.e. home theater configurations.
As a rule of thumb, before buying a multi-channel (multi-speaker) audio entertainment system for the home, the bigger the room the more power you will need to drive the speakers. Bigger rooms require more power to deliver the intensity of the audio signal without being absorbed by the surroundings. A bundled setup is ideal for those who are not too experienced with these setup since the vendor provides everything that is needed. An important consideration is that the speakers should match what the receiver unit can provide. For the den or small room, 50 W RMS per channel is typical. The bigger the room or if you want a louder system, you will want something > 50 W RMS. A large den would require 100–150 W RMS per channel (this is just an estimate as there are so many factors to consider, so this is for starters).
There are many brands to choose from when it comes to audio entertainment systems. These are the speakers and audio equipment that enhances your user experience with features like surround sound on multiple channels. “Multi-channel” simply means stereo audio, which delivers higher fidelity sound on channels with a left and right speaker. With multiple channels, the audio system can recreate different sounds at various frequencies that deliver a multi-directional audio perspective. This is because the speakers are strategically placed around a room to immerse the listener. These systems make use of Digital Signal Processors (DSP) which are specialized integrated circuits that contain audio processing software functions that separate the audio to different channels and then reproduced in analog form by the speakers to deliver high-fidelity audio.
In an audio entertainment setup, like a typical 5.1 surround sound system, you have 5 speakers plus a sub-woofer. Typically you have 5 full bandwidth channels and 1 low frequency channel on the sub-woofer for an actual total of 6 channels. In a 7.1 surround sound system, you have 7 full bandwidth speakers plus a sub-woofer for a total of 8 channels.
An original surround sound system used a front, center and sub-woofer speaker configuration. It was not very immersive to the listener though, so the 5.1 system was developed which introduced an additional 2 speakers which combined the channels for the rear and surround sound effects. Audiophiles would not be content with this setup for long, because the 7.1 system introduced another 2 speakers which this time combined 4 channels for side and rear surround sound effects.
Depending on the sound system you have, you will need to either connect the speakers via wired cables or the speakers are wireless. Audiophiles and more traditional audio enthusiasts prefer wired sound systems with high tension wires and high conductivity contacts to the sound system. The speakers will connect to a receiver box which process the signals from the source, in this case the TV or playback system, to deliver to the speakers. Serious audiophiles further condition the audio quality by using multi-frequency equalizers and mixers to really separate the various elements of sound, but this is more advanced. Some wireless options provide the simplest and easiest configuration, but they must be installed in places where there is little or no EMF (electro-magnetic interference) where other devices may interfere with the wireless speaker’s signals.
If you can afford it, get the best mix of price and performance. Otherwise, you can start with the basic setup of 3 speakers (front left and right with center) and get the sub-woofer and other surround sound speakers later. The problem is compatibility with the receiver or sound source, so make sure you get the correct specifications on your speakers. What is worse is not having the correct speakers that work together with the receiver.
Placing the speakers is now the next step and this will be very important. The placement and angle of the speakers can make a big difference in how you hear sounds, so let’s begin with this illustration guide I made that one can follow. This is not the only configuration, there are so many different ways to arrange the speakers but we have to follow best practice to get the most out of them.
You must have your source (TV, playback device like DVD or Blu-ray player) connected to the receiver. The speakers must also be connected to the entertainment system’s receiver.
Next, locate the “sweet spot” which is the location from you the listener to the source. It is best to start at the center of the room and slowly work your way back. Depending on your viewing distance, you will want to stay close to the center if it is a large room, or move more toward the back if it is a smaller room. As the listener you are at an angle of 0 degrees to the video display screen of your TV or the source. This is where we start to arrange the speakers starting with the front and center. You can then imagine a circle surrounding you, the listener, as your perimeter for placing the speakers.
FRONT AND CENTER SPEAKERS
Don’t place the front speakers too close to the wall. An allowance of 2.5 to 3.0 feet is fine and in line with the TV or source at an angle of 45 degrees (can be adjusted depending on the listener) from the sweet spot. Do this for the left and right speaker. It is also good if you have stands for the front speakers. It does not have to be too high, but a good height is at ear level to the listener when sitting down. A good place to put these front speakers is a TV stand or home entertainment shelf stand that are sold in specialty furniture stores. Keep the center speaker lower, perhaps beneath the TV or source. The center speaker channels a lot of important audio in movies and songs. This is the channel where the dialogue is sent to, so it is best to keep it clear from any obstruction and nothing to covering it up. It is best to keep the center speaker at 0 degrees to the listener.
SUB-WOOFER
The sub-woofer is best kept low as well, closer to the floor. Home entertainment stands have a place where the sub-woofer can be placed. It is not ideal to put them on its own stand, it is not really necessary since it is not going to help deliver low frequency sounds. With a sub-woofer you want to create the maximum effect across the room. You can even keep it on the floor if there is no place on the stand. A problem that can happen if you place the sub-woofer high up on a mounting shelf on a stand is it could fall off. This is because sub-woofers produce a lot of air pressure which create vibrations. That is why it is best to keep it closer to the ground because it creates the best deep bass tones which sound better at a lower placement, away from the ceiling where it can produce echoes or rumbles.
SATELLITE SPEAKERS
Now there are different ways to install these. Some prefer mounting them on the wall close to or on the ceiling. Others use speaker stands as well. What is important here is the placement of the speakers at the side of the listener at an angle of 90 degrees from the listener. Some adjust the satellites to 60 degrees and put the speakers on stands rather than mounting on the ceiling. These speakers deliver a rich variety of sounds that deliver the SRS (surround sound) experience for the listener. An example could be random voices in a room scene in a movie where the main dialogue is coming from the center speakers, but the satellites provide sounds that make it seem like the source was right next to the listener.
REAR SPEAKERS
The rear channel speakers also deliver SRS, mostly background and ambient noise. It can also give special sound effects in which the source of a sound begins either from the front to the side to the back and vice versa. This gives a more realistic audio sensory experience to the listener. Such encoding is dependent on the hardware and if the movie or sound source is compatible with this effect. The rear speakers are mainly used for surround sound effects, and their placement is at the back of the listener at 135–150 degrees. Some prefer the rear speakers closer e.g. on stands behind the couch or seating position of the listener, at ear level like the front speakers. Others like the rear speakers a little more toward the back of the room, but not too close to the wall. Putting the speakers too close to the wall can create unwanted noise and reverberations if the wall reflects too much of the sound waves back to the room.
There is no actual “right” way to arrange the speakers since this really requires experimenting. This guide is merely something to help get things started. I merely discussed more of how to place the speakers, but like in all configurations, setup is always required. There are settings you can fine tune on the receiver and even the speakers (if available). Every location will be different, but what we want to avoid is bad sound and it is best to optimize the placement for speakers to get the best audio quality.
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Note: If there are other ways to improve speaker placement or setup, do reply with your comment below. Thank you.
